Last week, I was proud to lead a cross-party debate in Parliament on NHS dentistry, because for many people across our area it is the most pressing healthcare issue we face.
In preparing for the debate, I spoke to local families, surveyed residents and met with dentists.
What I heard was deeply concerning.
Around 14 million people in England were unable to access NHS dentistry last year, roughly one in four people.
Here in Somerset, 56% of children did not see an NHS dentist.
Since my election, I have heard from residents unable to access even basic care, from parents forced to take their children to hospital with dental problems, and from people in such severe pain that they have pulled out their own teeth.
Local dentists now report seeing 10 to 15 emergency cases every day, compared with just two or three a few years ago.
This is not a service under strain; it is a service in crisis.
It has become so severe that some constituents tell me it is cheaper to travel abroad for treatment.
That is completely unacceptable in a modern health service.
The root cause is clear.
The NHS dental contract, introduced in 2006, is not fit for purpose.
It caps patient numbers, fails to reward complex care, and prevents practices from prioritising local people.
Patients are not registered in the same way as with a GP, meaning people can travel hundreds of miles for appointments while those living nearby miss out.
This is madness.
In Parliament, there was rare cross-party agreement on the need for change.
The question now is whether the government will match that urgency.
I called on ministers to set out a clear timetable for reform.
This should begin with consultation this summer, followed by firm deadlines to negotiate and deliver a new contract within this Parliament.
Alongside that, we need three things.
First, a contract that properly rewards dentists.
Second, a serious plan to recruit and retain NHS dentists, especially in rural areas like Yeovil and South Somerset.
Third, a system that restores access to local care for patients.
Local successes in Chard and Crewkerne show that progress is possible, but they cannot compensate for a broken national system.
People cannot wait years for change.
Access to NHS dentistry should not depend on where you live or what you can afford.
The government must now turn promises into action and deliver the reform patients deserve.
No more excuses.
Share